The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-04-02
THE TIiEATER.
Raymond I'm "a Gold Mime"

is all Raymond, but all good,
very good. His nsturalness, his
ease and adroitness, his psculiari-
ties of voice, his tricks OF manner are
all attractive and never pail upon the
taste, no matter how often presente ! or
how thinly they are disguised. His
geniality captures critics and audi
ences and he wins no mater
whist he plays AS "Woolcott" in a
God Nine Mr.. Raymond estayed last
night new char acter that,
partly cast in his own
mould, differs from all the others he
plays in touches OF pathos and serious
ness, in which he surprised the audi
ence AZ much as he has ever
done by new devices Of his humor.
The plot OF the play, here put upon the
stage for the first time, is very simple,
and il is all confined Ia one scene, the
drawing room Cf q London bankers
house. "Woolcott" is an American OF
varied experience in the States,
practical man of hard luck,
who is not without his SEN
timental side. He has gold mine to
sell, the only thing of all the wealth
that he had handled that he had been
able to hold to. He applies to Sir
EverhaId Foxwood, senior partner of
Foxwood & Co.,, to sell this property,
and pending the transaction is intro
duced to the family Of the banker,
which consists of son, George, who
is given to cricket and stocks, and q
=
what the slave Cf her imaRina-
ton, and calls the milliner to
her aid in the assumption
of historic or poetic characters.
"The Hon. Mrs. Meredith" a sis.
ter of "Sir Everhsro's" sometimes
makes his London house her home,
and there she meets ih9 American
and an Irish Home Rule Member
of Parliament who as journal
let had once been employed by
the Herald, of New York, In which
city he had met aud known "Wosl.
cott." These people, with "Julius
Krebs," a confidential clerk, and a
Mrs. Vsndervoost," a retired
actress formerly known as Miss
StrangsSayF, "the only Juliet"
of her day, comprise the
cast. Woolcott falls in love
with Mrs. Meredith and Riordan with
U. a, ard George, who hes been in
trouble about a debt Of &700,
tae result OF overtrsding, which
Krebs has carried On the books
for him, in order to get rid OF it plunges
deeper into specu alton and contra It's
debt of 10000, which he has no
means Of paying This becomes a
haunting gecr3t with him, but bis
aunt, Mrs. Meredith, penetr ties
the thin veil of his trouble
and at once makes an effort to relieve
him by demanding CT her brother the
sum neces, ary, which he confesses to
her he has in hand on her account.
"Wollcott" also POSSESSES himself Of
Georges" secret through "Uns," and
at once recalling the similar scraps of
a brother, who committed suicide,
determines to relieve him. This he
does by selling his gold mine
for half its value to the unscrupu-
lous london banker, pays the
boys debt, and stranded is glad to
accept a situation from Sir Eyerhard
at e200 year as agent OF the Pdles
tine Bitumen Company, sgreeipg to
20 out to the Holy Land. But linger-
ing to take his leave, he has an oppor
tunity of explanation with Mrs. Mer.
edith, who in the meantime, through
Krebs, to whom the gold mine had
been decided, to be held subject to Sir
Everbard's orders, foils her broth
er's game, gets possession of the
mine and also OF Woolcott for q
husband, the lest act being devoted 10
the denouem and to a scene of de-
nuncistion o. the brother by the ss-
ter that is one of the glaring inconsis-
tencies OF play that has many mer-
its Of situation and dialogue, and
with a stronger company and careful
revision might do very well for season.
Next to R2ymond's "WoolCott," Mrs.
Aliens Mrs. Vnndervoost" was de-
cidedly the best performance of the
evening. She quite fulfilled the ideal
ofRthe authors OF A Gold Nine, aud re-
produced "the only Juliet" accurately.
Her scene In the second act where she
was de trop with "Riordsn" aud his
sweetheart was nicely done. Her
weakness was never offensively OBJ
truded. I wa an amiable weakness,
that mig hit easily be INDUCED in one
whose days of triumph were so re-
mote. Miss Tracy, as "Mrs. Meredith"
was passable. She does not play tbs |
fine lady with The grace and ease OF |
high breeding, and just as little does
Mr.. Everl . I'd reach to tn 3 proportions
@! the London banker. Mr. Baker sc
"George," repeated himself, and |
"Una" waJ worthy of "Gerrald,"
whose brogue was as stiff as his con-
ception of the Irish NJ. P. Although |
there is great deal In Gold Nine |
that good actors might act with credit 1
to themselves, it yet depends upon
Mr.. Raymond, who is always missed
from the stage. What he has to do he
does we'll, and, as we lave said, he
even those who knew
him best with the naturalness
Of pathos as touching as his
humor is persuasive of laug h'er. 1t
was a new sensation to see this merry /
touched to tears and his voice
subdued to a tender tone. Bat even /
ne, restless as he naturally iE, even he
could not, without mani stations of /
confne himself to the con-
OF a drawing room and
the restraints OF polite life.
Even in his quality OF miner there
was an evident feeling that he was
sway ont of his usual line and that he
Ionged for the scope. and verge he
takes as Sellers or the Congressman.
forte 10 bread comedy.
His field 10 four act farce. Nature has
made the Dimensions of his genius and
herein he has found his fate. He has
not the physique, the manner, the
nor the experience to fit
aim for society plays. He
las stamped himself inefaceAbly
lpon the public mind as . type and
10 caunot change. A master of
his art within his own limitations he
hould hold to the prize, tC the gold
nine he possesses and appear as
eldom In a Gold Nias rs possible. As
Sellers" aud the Congress nan" he is
II his fancy can paint. He had better
aawa A. V,rEaa Y,;nar Il, Landau |